http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/columns/s ... id=1952387This is what most of us have been expecting to happen since the summer. Vick's current deal was set to expire at the end of 2006, but we knew it would only be a matter of time before Vick's agent forced his hand and start talking holdout without a new deal in place before that period.

The Falcons decided to bite the bullet a bit sooner and dish out the cash now rather than later.

I was never too happy about the potential Vick contract, and according to ESPN it will exceed that of Peyton Manning. The fact is that the Falcons would be forced to pay Vick more money than even may he deserved just based on the fact of his close relationship with Arthur Blank and he in only 3 years has done more for the franchise (publically) than anyone else has done in over 60.

I think an issue that the Colts have run into with the huge deal given to Manning, is their inability to field a competitive team. Sure, with Manning, James, and Harrison they have the new Big 3 and will always be in the hunt. But that defense is terrible. Notice the fact that only a handful of players on that side of the ball were not drafted by the Colts, which tells you how much more pressure it puts on GM Bill Polian to draft quality players since they are unable to make many significant moves in free agency.

The same could happen here in Atlanta. I don't think it will because unlike the Colts we don't have gobs of money invested in a small group of players, but I think with Vick's looming deal, it will force us to cut quality veterans sooner due to cap reasons and put more pressure on McKay to draft better players later in the draft, which is a very hard thing to do.

But had I been in McKay's shoes, I would have also signed VIck to a huge deal, making him either the #1 or #2 highest paid player in the NFL. I just would not have been happy about it, and I'm sure McKay is not also. Hes eems to be a practical guy and he knows that having gobs of $$$ invested in one player hurts you in how well you can get 52 other players to help said player win football games.

We'll see what the terms are. For those that care, Vick earned about $22 million over the 4 years of his original deal signed back in 2001.

FoxSports is reporting $37 million in guaranteed money, eclipsing Manning's $34.5 million. They also say Vick's deal totals at over $100 million over 10 years.

According to the report, also Vick's contract would have voided after this year. We knew that there was a void clause in the contract, but we didn't know exactly what the terms of it was. I assume it was based on Vick earning at least 2 Pro Bowl nods in his first 4 seasons, which he added the 2nd one yesterday.

So in essence the Falcons had to sign Vick to a contract now, or risk losing him in free agency.

It was originally reported to be worth up to $62mm. If you look at what he's been paid, and his Paragraph 5 salary through 2007, it comes up $27mm short. Could he possibily had $27mm in bonuses due to him in between 2005 and 2007? Or were there performance bonses not paid since they were not met?

From what I discovered about the contract, his "hard" numbers only accounted for about $46 million, which left about $14 million in incentives. He earned some of that I assume with his Pro Bowl in 2002 and proabbly again this year.

I've been looking over his original contract, and the Falcons had the option of giving him a $5 million option bonus to reinstate 2 more years in his contract. Although the option bonus would technically reinstate the final 4 years, which allowed it to be spread out further, but it would also void the contract after 2006. If that was the case, Vick's cap hits in 2005 and 2006 would be $7.4 and $8.4 million respectively. So I'm willing to bet that the new deal is going to cost us a cheaper amount than $15.8 million over the next two years. If not, then the Falcons made a big mistake.

But Vick was unlikely to ever pocket the full $62 million of his contract. His best hope was to get about $50-55 or so of that, with much of that having him make several Pro Bowls in the first 4 years.

i think this is wonderful with the cap going up soon i believe that blank got him cheaper now than he would later but to all the reports that he is a falcon for life he will be what 34 when the contract is up he could play another 2-3 after that so we might be looking at one more signing of vick atleast i up we have to sign him one more time

Well, this deal won't last. If you look at the 10-year deals that Bledsoe and Favre signed back in 2001, both were seen as deals that would need to definitely be redone by Year 5 or 6.

They were never going to see all the money in their $100+ million deals, because they are so heavily backloaded.

Both are in Year 4 right now of their deals. Bledsoe has had his contract tweaked each of the last 2 years because of its quirkiness with the cap and he'll be cut probably after teh season, making way for J.P. Losman, which is why the Bills grabbed Losman because Bledsoe's deal would be too bulky to manipulate and restructure (plus his level of play slipped).

Favre was expected to retire around Year 4 or 5, so that's why they haven't messed with his contract, but if he plays to play for more than maybe 1 or 2 seasons, they will have to mess with it.

I can only imagine Vick is in the same boat. I suspect Vick's deal will need to be restructured by Year 5 or 6 (2009 or 2010).

I don't want to sound all gloom and doom, but that is far enough in the future that the Falcons could be looking in another direction at the QB position. Vick will only be 29 or 30 by then, but you never know with injuries or lack of productivity, you can never tell the future that far in advance. After all, there was a time when Saints and Steelers fans felt that Aaron Brooks and Kordell Stewart were going to lead them to the promised land. And I'm not saying Vick is those guys, but its' a what have you done for me lately league, and thus far Vick is doing fine, but 5 years from now, who knows? We may have a new coach and GM by that point, which means the new guys have ZERO loyalty to Vick & Co.

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